Herceptin for Breast Cancer: ’Simply Stunning’ Results Tempered by Concern About Side-Effects

In test results researchers describe as “simply stunning”, Herceptin (trastuzumab) – a drug already used in treatment of advanced cancer – has been shown to halve the recurrence of breast tumors after standard therapy.

However, Herceptin works only in women whose breast tumors contain high amounts HER2, a protein that makes the cancer particularly aggressive; moreover, the drug can cause significant effects, according to a report by Reuters on 20 October.

About 20% of women with breast cancer have this type of tumor, so about 42,000 women in the Untied States could benefit from Herceptin treatment, according to Reuters. About 400,000 people worldwide die from breast cancer each year.

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